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How to transit through India with an e-visa
Being a holder of an electronic visa to India enables you to visit this country not only for tourism, business, or medical purposes but also makes it possible to transit through it on your way somewhere else. The easiest way in which travelers can reach their final destination with a stop in India is with an e-Visa.
The application process can be completed entirely online using any device of your choice. Make sure that you have an internet connection and an active email address to receive the approved India e-Visa.
Read on to learn more about transiting through India, crossing the country’s border in general, and how to apply online for the electronic entry permit.
In what cases do you need to apply for an Indian e-Visa while on transit?
There are three requirements to meet to be eligible to transit through India without an e-Visa. Travelers who meet the following criteria don’t need to apply for the electronic Indian entry permit:
- have a copy of their onward ticket (proving that they will continue on their journey)
- do not spend more than 24 hours in India (waiting for the next flight)
- do not leave the designated airport’s transit area
Should you not meet the above-described guidelines, you must apply for the e-Visa to transit through India.
How to apply for the e-Visa to India?
First, choose which India visa type would be best for your travel. If you need an e-Visa just to transit through the country, the best one is the e-Tourist visa that serves as a multiple-entry permit. A total of 90 days (three months) is how long travelers can stay in India for with this visa type.
The e-Tourist visa stays valid for one year (365 days) from the date of issuing. Use it within the validity period to enter India without any issues. You can cross the border numerous times as long as the total amount of days spent in the country does not exceed 90 days.
Online application guide to follow
Grab your valid passport and prepare a digital face photo of yourself. The photo can be taken using a phone or a PC camera. Complete the visa application process following these 3 steps:
- Carefully put the required information in an online form. Double-check if there are no errors and move to the next step.
- Cover the 129 Euro Indian visa fee and check if you have received the confirmation number at your email address.
- Approved e-Visa to India will be delivered straight to the applicant’s email box in a PDF version.
The average processing time is just 51 hours from submitting the form and registering the payment. However, the final approval time may take up to 72 hours (3 business days). Make sure to apply in advance to receive your entry permit on time.
Crossing the India border
Once you have your approved Indian e-Visa, you may be wondering how to prepare for crossing the country’s border so that you can enter without any issues.
First, prepare two documents that are checked by the customs officials upon arrival in India:
- a printed e-Visa to India copy
- a passport that will stay valid for at least six months from the intended date of entering India
Once you have the necessary documents to present upon arrival, please remember that if you travel to India with an e-Visa, you must cross the border using any border point that accepts electronic visas.
Please use any of the following immigration check posts to cross the Indian border:
Airports
- Ahmedabad
- Amritsar
- Bagdogra
- Bengaluru
- Bhubaneshwar
- Calicut
- Chandigarh
- Chennai
- Cochin
- Coimbatore
- Delhi
- Gaya
- Goa
- Guwahati
- Hyderabad
- Jaipur
- Kolkata
- Lucknow
- Madurai
- Mangalore
- Mumbai
- Nagpur
- Portblair
- Pune
- Tiruchirapalli
- Trivandrum
- Varanasi
- Vishakhapatnam
Seaports
- Chennai
- Cochin
- Goa
- Mangalore
- Mumbai
Benefits of applying for the e-Visa to transit through India
Making a visa application for the electronic entry permit to transit through India while on your journey to reach your final destination has numerous perks.
Electronic visas for India grant travelers transiting using it the following benefits:
- the possibility to leave the airport’s transit area
- you may stay over 24 hours
- you can make your layover longer and visit some tourist destinations and explore the country
- you can stay in India for up to 90 days with the e-Tourist visa or even 180 days with the e-Business visa
- the application process takes just a few minutes to complete and can be done anywhere and anytime
- our support team is available to all applicants via email and phone in case of any issues, questions, or concerns
- the average time of processing the Indian e-Visa is 51 hours
- approved entry permits arrive straight at your inbox in a PDF form
Don’t limit yourself while transiting through India, and use the opportunity to explore this beautiful, versatile country!